Ozinga Pours Foundation for Candidacy

Although he hasn't yet gotten the nod to run, concrete magnate Martin Ozinga is getting ready to be the replacement candidate in Illinois's 11th District congressional race.

Republican party officials are set to meet at the end of next month to try and reach a consensus on a candidate for the seat that Congressman Jerry Weller is retiring from. 11th District Republicans have been looking for a solid candidate to replace Tim Baldermann, the mayor of New Lenox and the chief of police in Chicago Ridge, who quit the race just three weeks after winning the party's February 5 primary. He says that he has too many obligations to dedicate the time to running for congress.

Although there will be no formal announcement until a decision is made April 30, Ozinga is raring to go. "He's not opposed to personally investing a significant amount because he believes in this. He made it clear he wants it to be a grassroots campaign," Andy Sere, Baldermann's former campaign manager told the Southtown Star. According to Sere, Ozinga is is mixing it up with donors, raising money and putting together a campaign team. "He didn't want to wait until April with nothing in place," Sere said.

Harry Bond, owner of Monical's Pizza, is the only other candidate considered serious, and rumors are that the eight committeemen may not be so hot for Ozinga. Still, though, he is courting media attention, running ads on WLS during political talk shows, and courting the press. Earlier this week he issued a statement saying that he is running to "be a positive part of the process of returning to the foundational truths established by our forefathers." Whomever the GOP decides on next month will face Democratic State Senator Debbie Halvorson in the general election.

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